Great White goes for three

Patrick White, of the Newport Hills Killer Whales swim team, won three events and set a club record in the 50-yard butterfly Saturday. It’s no wonder he had recently qualified for the Olympic trials, which start Sunday in Omaha, Neb.

White’s efforts helped Newport Hills remain undefeated in dual meets with a 768.5-566.5 victory over the Green Valley Dolphins of Fountain Valley in South Coast Swim Conference action.

White won the 100-yard freestyle, 50 butterfly and 50 backstroke in the boys’ 15-18 age division. He’ll be competing in the 100 free at the Olympic trials, which run through July 6.

He’ll be joined by Newport Hills Coach Michelle Sperling, who had been assistant head coach for the UC Irvine men’s and women’s swim teams until this past season.

The duo picked up a South Coast Swim Conference win before they left. They received plenty of help to earn the victory.

The Killer Whales, who were undefeated in dual meets last year, had five other swimmers who won three events against the Dolphins, the 2006 SCSC champions.

Henry Wilde, who swam to victories in the 25 free, 25 fly and 50 free, set a new NHST record in the 50 free of the boys’ 7-8 division.

Devon Greenlee also had a big day for Newport Hills, as she won the 100 free, 50 fly and 200 individual medley, setting personal-best times in all three of her individual victories.

Christian Garkani’s three wins were in the 100 free, 50 back and 200 IM, recording a personal record in the 100 free of the boys’ 13-14 division.

In the girls’ under-6 division, Sophie Wallace won the 25 free, 25 breast and 25 fly. She set a personal record in her 25 fly win.

In the boys’ under-6 division, Jake Bays won the 25 free and 25 fly. He recorded a personal-best time in the 25 free. He also finished tied for first with Max Morris in the 25 breast with both swimmers posting personal-best times in the event.

Newport Hills swimmers Morgan Cortens, Madeline Musselman and Hollace Barden all won two individual events. Cortens won the 25 breast and 25 back in the boys’ 7-8 division. Musselman took first in the 25 free and 25 fly. Barden touched first in the 100 free and 200 IM in the girls’ 13-14 division.

A number of other Killer Whales swimmers recorded personal records in winning their individual events, including: Erika Anderson (25 free in girls’ 7-8 division), Lauren Openshaw (25 breast in girls’ 7-8 division) and Mackenzie Morsey (25 breast in girls’ 9-10 division).

In the boys’ 9-10 division, Brett Greenlee posted a personal record in the 50 fly and Anthony Gelman, soon to be a UNLV freshman who just came back to the sport after a one-year hiatus, set a year best in the 50 breast of the boys’ 15-18 division. He came up a little shy of the team mark he set in the 50 breast in 2006.

Other Newport Hills’ individual event winners included: Krista White (50 back in the girls’15-18 division), Speedy Laster (25 back in the boys’ under-6 division), Taylor Cortens (50 free in the boys’ 9-10 division), Mitch Dean (50 breast in the boys’ 9-10 division), JT Russell (50 back in the boys’ 9-10 division), Andrew Larsen (50 breast in the boys’ 11-12 division), Alex Wilde (50 back in the boys’ 11-12 division), Nick Furgatch (50 breast in the boys’ 13-14 division) and Blake Motal (50 fly in the boys’ 13-14 division).

The group leaders for the Killer Whales again were the swimmers in the boys’ 7-8 division. They took first and second in both the medley and free relays. They also swam to first, second and third place in the 25 free, 25 fly, 25 back and 50 free and grabbed first and second in the 25 breast.

The Killer Whales will try to defend last year’s victory in the relay finals Saturday at Corona del Mar High, where all other teams in the South Coast Swim Conference will participate, including: Greenbrook Gators, Green Valley Dolphins, Harbor View Dolphins, Lake Forest II Dolphins and the Pacific Sands Penguins.

— From staff reports